What are automated restaurants?
Also known as robotic restaurants, automated restaurants are pretty much what they sounds like. They are eating & drinking establishments that use some form of technology to automatically perform certain service-related tasks for the customer. In other words, robots serve customers in place of humans.
For example, some restaurants use iPads to instantly take orders and payments in lieu of a waiter. Others may use conveyor belts (e.g. kaiten-sushi), robots or drones to deliver the food to the tables. In most cases, the automation is part of the customer experience. The future is here.
Where can I check them out?
Automated restaurants are prevalent in parts of Europe and Asia…especially Japan which has pretty much everything from robot waiters to food ATMs. However, you can find many restaurants with unique forms of automation throughout the US.
Boston, MA: robot prepared bowls at Spyce
Fremont, CA: conveyor belt-delivered food at
Gen Korean BBQ
Las Vegas, NV: robot bartenders at the
Tipsy Robot
San Diego, CA: conveyor belt-delivered food at
Kura Revolving Sushi Bar
Silicon Valley (Mountain View, CA): robot-made
pizzas at Zume Pizza
Washington D.C. (McLean, VA): conveyor belt-delivered food at Wasabi
Honolulu, HI: iPad ordering and
bullet train delivery at Genki Sushi
Kansas City, MO: train-delivered food at
Fritz’s Railroad Restaurant
Los Angeles, CA (Torrance): iPad ordering at Stacked
San Francisco, CA: iPad ordering and
personalized cubby pickup at Eatsa
Seattle, WA: conveyor belt-delivered food at
Blue C Sushi
Kristina Reynolds is the Founder & CEO of Glutto and an alumna of the University of California, San Diego. She writes the articles for Glutto Digest with insights from fellow industry experts. Furthermore, she is the author of The Fittest Food Lovers: How EVERY BODY Can be Incredibly Fit and Still Enjoy Food, a collaborative philanthropic book with proceeds going to feed the hungry.
